Richard Lorenz; he's for the birds - no, really!

The Coconut Grove Arts Festival and The St. Stephen's Art Show are February 16-18, 2019. We'll be profiling some of the artists who are participating this year. 

Richard Lorenz at work

If you like birds, you'll love Richard Lorenz's art. Richard will be showing at the Coconut Grove Arts Festival this year.

Richard lives in Northwest Arkansas with his wife Tina, he grew up in Louisiana, they have five kids and five grand kids, with one on the way.

This is his first year doing the Grove Arts Festival, but he's been doing many shows around the country for the past 15 years including the Plaza Art Festival in Kansas City, MO; Cherry Creek Art Festival in Denver, CO and Ann Arbor Art Fair in Ann Arbor, MI to name a few.
     
His work is digital. It's digital painting. "Most of my paintings now are done on the ipad pro with the Apple ipencil," says Richard.

I asked him why birds, what's the attraction? "I created my 'Be the Bird' series as a reminder that each bird is unique. There is not another bird quite like you. You are one of a kind. You are here on purpose...for a purpose. God makes no mistakes. What ever your perceived challenges are, remember these are the opportunities that define you...that make you unique," he said.

"My paintings of 'Birdz' are of you guys! I love watching (bird watching) people in their natural habitat, going about their perceived 'normal' existence, unaware of the inspiration I receive from them on a daily basis. There is always that one bird that stands out from the flock. This is the bird not afraid to spread her/his wings. You know the one...big feathers, lots of color, quirky, a bit messy, insecure, but facing the world head on with an unwavering determination to be 'Real'. These are the Birdz I paint. The ones who make us believe that no matter what the circumstances, no matter the limitations, we all have the potential to fly above the madness and discover the real, authentic Bird that lives inside," he continued.

"Remember, no matter what your perceived challenges are in this life, it's all an illusion. Embrace who you are...perfect in every way. Shrug off the labels, contempt, value and worth put upon you by someone else. Live your Truth, and most of all, never forget...you already have wings - 'BE THE BIRD'!" he says.

His paintings start at the art shows. "I am inspired by the people that walk by. These are the preliminary sketches that become the 'Birdz' in my paintings. Half of my images are produced in our home studio, the other half on the road wherever I can find a moment and of course, a plug in for charging," Richard said, so be careful this February, you may end up in one of his paintings!

Richard says he is constantly amazed by the work of the old masters - DaVinci, Rembrandt; the Hudson River painters of Light, and a whole host of amazing contemporary artists that he follows on Instagram.
       

It seems like birds were always part of his life, "My earliest drawings as a toddler were of birds and flying. Indeed, I drew every kind of bird imaginable. Self-taught, working mostly in oils, I consumed the works of Audubon and other notable ornithologists both past and present. With many awards and accolades along the way, 1998 was memorable with my winning entry in the prestigious Louisiana Duck–Stamp competition," says Richrd.  

He says, "I have no formal training in art except for my weekly rendezvous with Bob Ross from the local PBS access on Saturday mornings. It was his show that inspired me to pursue painting. I saved my allowance till the day I was able to purchase my first painting kit.

"My latest challenge has been learning to paint digitally. I am completely inspired to this day by watching young people paint in this new painting medium. That's right...YouTube is how I have learned digital painting!"